Unstudied Multi-Strain Blends vs Saccharomyces boulardii
How unstudied multi-strain blends and Saccharomyces boulardii differ in how they work, evidence, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Multi-Strain Blends (Unstudied) | Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Combinations assembled for marketing rather than tested as a product. Strain designations are often missing, and CFU may be counted at manufacture rather than expiration. | A yeast, so antibacterial drugs do not kill it; acts in the gut lumen and clears within days of stopping. |
| Typical dose | Varies | 250-500 mg (5-10 billion CFU) daily |
| Common uses | general gut health (unproven) | antibiotic-associated diarrhea, C. difficile recurrence (adjunct) |
| Side effects | Gas, bloating. | Rare fungemia in critically ill or catheterized patients. |
| Cost | Moderate | Moderate |
| Also called | 50 billion CFU blends, 10-strain formulas | S. boulardii, Florastor |
When to Choose Multi-Strain Blends (Unstudied)
There is rarely a reason to choose unstudied multi-strain blends: choose a strain matched to a trial instead. The trials that support probiotics tested specific strains, not blends built from their species names.
Multi-Strain Blends (Unstudied)
There is rarely a reason to choose unstudied multi-strain blends: choose a strain matched to a trial instead.
What to look for: Multi-Strain Blends named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745
Choose Saccharomyces boulardii when you are taking antibiotics and want a probiotic they will not kill. Can be taken at the same time as antibiotics, unlike bacterial probiotics.
Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745
The probiotic to take alongside antibiotics, because antibiotics cannot kill a yeast.
What to look for: Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (Florastor or equivalent), 250-500 mg daily.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
The Probiotics category in Titrate's index holds 5,145 labels from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, 2,852 of them currently on market, out of 214,745 labels indexed in total.
Supplement Search loads one category at a time. Choose the Probiotics tab and filter by ingredient, form, or what the product leaves out.
Related
References
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Probiotics: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
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